There are some recipes that just smell like home, and for us, Yorkshire Parkin is one of them. This rich, sticky ginger cake is a traditional treat in Northern England, especially around Bonfire Night in November. Made with oatmeal, golden syrup, and black treacle, it’s not just another gingerbread—it has a distinctive chewy texture that actually improves if you leave it for a few days in an airtight container. This recipe comes from Aunty Chris, and it’s perfect for baking with kids, who can help with measuring, stirring, and lining the tin.
I love cooking with my boys and this is a recipe from my childhood and one that Mini loves to make and loves to eat! If you don’t know I am from North Yorkshire in the North East of England, and this Yorkshire Parkin was my Aunty Christine’s signature bake. Hers was always perfectly sticky and delicious, and tasting it takes me right back to her home filled with cousins sitting in front of the coal fire under one of her crochet blankets.
I found this version of Parkin handwritten in one of Mum’s cookbooks when she died and it is a regular make here. It gets better with age and you have to leave it 24 hours after baking before eating any so it is the perfect cake tin cake.
Parkin is a traditional ginger cake, flavoured with black treacle, or molasses oatmeal and warm spices. it is often made in advance for Bonfire Night. Yorkshire parking is made with treacle and is darker than Lancashire parkin that is made with Golden syrup.
Why is My Parkin Dry, not Sticky?
It is likely that it has been overcooked or that you have allowed the butter and syrup mixture to boil, but also parkin gets stickier the longer it is left. We wrap ours in tin foil and then hide it for at least 24 hours, but a couple of days is better.
What size Oats do I need?
The best option for parkin is medium oatmeal, but you can use fine porridge oats for less texture. If I only have rolled oats then I will use them but blix them in the blender for a finer texture.
My Aunty Christine’s Yorkshire Parkin Recipe
Yorkshire Parkin
Yorkshire Parking is a traditional British gingerbread cake made with oats, treacle and spices. It is moist, sticky and delicious.
Ingredients
- 120 g Golden syrup
- 120 g Treacle molasses in the US
- 120 g Butter Salted
- 120 g Brown sugar Muscavardo or Dark Brown is my preferance
- 220 g Medium oatmeal
- 120 g Self raising flour
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon Mixed spice
- 50 ml Milk
- 1 Large Egg
Instructions
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 2 / 150°C / 300°F (fan 140°C).
Prepare a 20cm square tin (I use a silicone one, but a lightly greased and parcement lined tin is perfect).
In a large saucepan, place the butter, syrup, treacle and brown sugar and heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
- Put the dry ingredients in to the pan and mix well before adding the milk and egg.
Place the batter in the prepared tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out of the centre clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack in the tin to cool
Once cold turn out and cool before wrapping in greaseproof paper or tinfoil and storing in an airtight tin for at least 24 hours and preferably 5 days before cutting and serving.
Recipe Notes
⭐ **Kid-friendly steps:** Children can measure the flour, sugar, and spices, help stir the dry ingredients, line the tin with parchment, and beat the egg. Leave the melting and oven stages to adults.
⭐ **Yorkshire vs Lancashire Parkin:** Yorkshire parkin is dense, dark, and chewy thanks to oatmeal and black treacle. Lancashire parkin is lighter and more like ginger cake. Both are traditional, but this recipe is firmly Yorkshire.
⭐ **Serving suggestions:** Parkin is delicious on its own, but you can also serve it warm with custard, or add a drizzle of caramel sauce for a modern twist.
⭐ **Storage:** Keep wrapped in parchment in an airtight container for up to a week. The flavor and texture improve with time.
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